The Pattern
Rosie looked at the others, begging someone to explain why they had been chosen. Why did they get letters? There were millions of kids in the world, millions that would have given anything to be in a helicopter riding away from sad starving conditions. She knew, she'd met some of them. It had been her punishment for not eating all her carrots. A trip to Africa to meet the little children with poking out ribs, and sad hungry eyes had taught her to treasure her blessings.
"Why us?" She repeated looking from one child to the other. By now, she knew their names. Mazen, the sullen angry boy who screamed like a girl, and shot venomous looks to everyone from dark eyes. Will, the angelic looking boy with blond hair and a gentle smile. Hannah, the only other girl was a mousy thing with fragile features. Copenhagen- call me Hagen- the boy with the touselled hair and the hell with it attitude.
"Because we are smart," Will answered even though his answer came out like a question.
"There are lots of smart kids," Hannah said looking at him as if he were being stupid. "Why the five of us, and why now?"
"Because we are more than smart," Copenhagen contributed, "I mean, I know I am."
"I'm brilliant." Mazen said blandly from his corner, his eyes still on the controls.
"I have gifts," Will shrugged modestly. "Perhaps that is the reason."
"Not good enough." Rosie growled she was getting angry. "I have a recital tomorrow."
"I think it's been canceled." Hannah offered kindly.
Rosie looked at her, and realized it was probably true. By now someone might have noticed she was missing. Laurie would have missed her at the rehearsal. The police would be out in droves searching a perimeter around her house. They wouldn't look for her in a helicopter in South America. Rosie looked past her feet at the remains of the bracelet she had destroyed.
"We have to get away," she told her shoes.
"We'll sort things out when we get on the ground. Not much to be done from up here anyway." Hagen shrugged.
Rosie knew he was right, but she wasn't pleased about it. Her hands knotted together she needed to focus on something other than her bladder's screaming protests. Getting down was a good idea. Land meant a bathroom- she could deal with that.
"Why us?" She repeated looking from one child to the other. By now, she knew their names. Mazen, the sullen angry boy who screamed like a girl, and shot venomous looks to everyone from dark eyes. Will, the angelic looking boy with blond hair and a gentle smile. Hannah, the only other girl was a mousy thing with fragile features. Copenhagen- call me Hagen- the boy with the touselled hair and the hell with it attitude.
"Because we are smart," Will answered even though his answer came out like a question.
"There are lots of smart kids," Hannah said looking at him as if he were being stupid. "Why the five of us, and why now?"
"Because we are more than smart," Copenhagen contributed, "I mean, I know I am."
"I'm brilliant." Mazen said blandly from his corner, his eyes still on the controls.
"I have gifts," Will shrugged modestly. "Perhaps that is the reason."
"Not good enough." Rosie growled she was getting angry. "I have a recital tomorrow."
"I think it's been canceled." Hannah offered kindly.
Rosie looked at her, and realized it was probably true. By now someone might have noticed she was missing. Laurie would have missed her at the rehearsal. The police would be out in droves searching a perimeter around her house. They wouldn't look for her in a helicopter in South America. Rosie looked past her feet at the remains of the bracelet she had destroyed.
"We have to get away," she told her shoes.
"We'll sort things out when we get on the ground. Not much to be done from up here anyway." Hagen shrugged.
Rosie knew he was right, but she wasn't pleased about it. Her hands knotted together she needed to focus on something other than her bladder's screaming protests. Getting down was a good idea. Land meant a bathroom- she could deal with that.